CAE Oxford vs. Transpac

[MikeD]

I get all the current up-to-date gossip on whats going on with thse places on CGZ's CTAF from 2300 into the early a.m. from all the Mesquite's and the occasional Oxford out there. Whats going down, who just got hired where, how things are going, whats messed up, good stuff!

 

[tcco94]

I get all the current up-to-date gossip on whats going on with thse places on CGZ's CTAF from 2300 into the early a.m. from all the Mesquite's and the occasional Oxford out there. Whats going down, who just got hired where, how things are going, whats messed up, good stuff!

Haha! I miss that.

"Where are all the other flight schools working at 2 am?!"

 

[MikeD]

About 6 planes at CGZ tonight and in the stack at around midnight, the first of two waves....and on a Friday night no less . Arguments and confusion going on about who is where and at what altitude, which ended in a "chill out dude! we're on a checkride here" or something like that, one Mesquite yelling at an Oxford or vice versa. Here, I'm merely trying to get short south patterns done there in the RW 23 direction to the ramp for aided and unaided night landings without scaring the RW 5 approach people, but can't get a call in edgewise due to position reports, confusion and arguments on freq Don't normal people have somewhere to be on a Friday besides practicing approaches? And then landing and parking next to the helipad. lol

 

[Quarryman]

About 6 planes at CGZ tonight and in the stack at around midnight, the first of two waves....and on a Friday night no less . Arguments and confusion going on about who is where and at what altitude, which ended in a "chill out dude! we're on a checkride here" or something like that, one Mesquite yelling at an Oxford or vice versa. Here, I'm merely trying to get short south patterns done there in the RW 23 direction to the ramp for aided and unaided night landings without scaring the RW 5 approach people, but can't get a call in edgewise due to position reports, confusion and arguments on freq Don't normal people have somewhere to be on a Friday besides practicing approaches? And then landing and parking next to the helipad. lol

Some things just never change. "Trans Fright two eight two, ah, so sorry Sir!"

 

[tcco94]

Some things just never change. "Trans Fright two eight two, ah, so sorry Sir!"

Mesquite now, not Trans Fright

 

[Quarryman]

Mesquite now, not Trans Fright

...as in, like, a mesquite tree or mesquite BBQ chips?

 

[MikeD]

7 aircraft in the pattern/stack at CGZ at midnight on a Friday night.....there's gotta be something else for people to be doing at that time, no?

 

[tcco94]

7 aircraft in the pattern/stack at CGZ at midnight on a Friday night.....there's gotta be something else for people to be doing at that time, no?

Working at TransPac = no life

 

[Quarryman]

7 aircraft in the pattern/stack at CGZ at midnight on a Friday night.....there's gotta be something else for people to be doing at that time, no?

Those people on the north side of the field must just love that buzzing around at 2 am

 

[Quarryman]

Working at TransPac = scared for your life

FIFY.

 

[SuperOneFiddy]

Here's the basic rundown for each company:

TransPac:
- $5,000 signing bonus on first paycheck
- $3,000 relocation assistance on first paycheck
- 3 weeks housing during indoc for $200 ($100 of this is refundable)
- Indoc lasts 3 weeks and you are paid during that time
- $28,000 initial salary which goes up after 9 months (goes up more if you get your CFII which they pay for)
- $7,500 bonus after 1 year of employment
- $11,000 bonus after being hired by SkyWest
- 50 hour work weeks
- Not so great safety record
- Old planes

CAE:
- The job advertisement states there is a $5,000 - $10,000 signing bonus but there are rumors that this is not actually being offered to new hires.
- $2,000 relocation assistance with 3-6 weeks free housing
- $27,000 starting salary, $30k with CFII, $32k with MEI. Goes up to $39-40k once you go to the EASA program
- Free CFII AND free MEI with no contract
- $2,000 bonus after 500 dual given and 25 students signed off
- Free ATP with one year contract
- Average 50 hour work weeks
- No accidents within the last 12 years
- Brand spanking new Piper Archers with G1000s (but also DA20s with no A/C)

I am not employed by either company so I don't have any firsthand experience but this is what I have heard.

 

[tcco94]

Here's the basic rundown for each company:

TransPac:
- $5,000 signing bonus on first paycheck
- $3,000 relocation assistance on first paycheck
- 3 weeks housing during indoc for $200 ($100 of this is refundable)
- Indoc lasts 3 weeks and you are paid during that time
- $28,000 initial salary which goes up after 9 months (goes up more if you get your CFII which they pay for)
- $7,500 bonus after 1 year of employment
- $11,000 bonus after being hired by SkyWest
- 50 hour work weeks
- Not so great safety record
- Old planes

CAE:
- The job advertisement states there is a $5,000 - $10,000 signing bonus but there are rumors that this is not actually being offered to new hires.
- $2,000 relocation assistance with 3-6 weeks free housing
- $27,000 starting salary, $30k with CFII, $32k with MEI. Goes up to $39-40k once you go to the EASA program
- Free CFII AND free MEI with no contract
- $2,000 bonus after 500 dual given and 25 students signed off
- Free ATP with one year contract
- Average 50 hour work weeks
- No accidents within the last 12 years
- Brand spanking new Piper Archers with G1000s (but also DA20s with no A/C)

I am not employed by either company so I don't have any firsthand experience but this is what I have heard.

I have heard the Skywest bonus before but who's paying that? And do you know someone who has received that bonus? Us here at Skywest have no idea about it because new hires don't get bonuses unless you have a type rating.

 

[kryan11]

I have heard the Skywest bonus before but who's paying that? And do you know someone who has received that bonus? Us here at Skywest have no idea about it because new hires don't get bonuses unless you have a type rating.

Skywest just introduced this, but it's only available to Transpac CFIs. It would be paid at the end of IOE. I believe they also said that you had to sign up by August 14th. I wouldn't count on this being permanently available, but Skywest has a very solid partnership with Transpac right now.

Here's the basic rundown for each company:

TransPac:
- Not so great safety record
- Old planes

There's nothing wrong with Transpac's safety record. They fly 80k hours a year. The national average is 3 deaths per 100k hours and they after far better than that.

http://archive.azcentral.com/commun...phoenix-flight-school-good-safety-record.html

They are older planes, most of them are from around 2000. I learned to fly in planes built in the 70s so these are new to me ha. They're very well maintained though. They also bought a few brand new glass archers for the Pilot Pathway Program last year.

 

[SuperOneFiddy]

There's nothing wrong with Transpac's safety record. They fly 80k hours a year. The national average is 3 deaths per 100k hours and they after far better than that.

http://archive.azcentral.com/commun...phoenix-flight-school-good-safety-record.html

They are older planes, most of them are from around 2000. I learned to fly in planes built in the 70s so these are new to me ha. They're very well maintained though. They also bought a few brand new glass archers for the Pilot Pathway Program last year.

Thanks, that was actually very insightful. I think people just get a little freaked out when they hear about the midairs that happened over at DVT, but the article does make a lot of sense.

Considering this, I don’t see any reason to choose CAE over TransPac. By the time you reach ATP mins you’ll have made twice as much money at TransPac in the same amount of time.

 

[tcco94]

Thanks, that was actually very insightful. I think people just get a little freaked out when they hear about the midairs that happened over at DVT, but the article does make a lot of sense.

Considering this, I don’t see any reason to choose CAE over TransPac. By the time you reach ATP mins you’ll have made twice as much money at TransPac in the same amount of time.

It's been a while since the mid air and the procedures they have now (especially with the SATR @ Luke AFB) it didn't seem like an unsafe place at all to me. Prop strike or run off here and there as to be expected with students but that was about it.

 

[SuperOneFiddy]

Skywest just introduced this, but it's only available to Transpac CFIs. It would be paid at the end of IOE. I believe they also said that you had to sign up by August 14th. I wouldn't count on this being permanently available, but Skywest has a very solid partnership with Transpac right now.

No expiration date.

Bonus has now gone up to $17,500 after IOE.

 

[tcco94]

No expiration date.

Bonus has now gone up to $17,500 after IOE.

Still can't believe our pilot group doesn't even know about this

 

[SuperOneFiddy]

So, it’s been a bit since my last post and I’ve since taken a job at TransPac. I’m new so I haven’t had a chance to get burnt out but I have to say I’m loving it so far. Like you guys said, my fears about safety were totally unfounded and the training is really solid here. It’s obviously not glamorous and it’s not easy, but if you’ve always dreamed of flying for a living and have been working • retail/food service/ramp jobs until now like me it’s much much better. I’m very happy with my decision.

 

[tcco94]

So, it’s been a bit since my last post and I’ve since taken a job at TransPac. I’m new so I haven’t had a chance to get burnt out but I have to say I’m loving it so far. Like you guys said, my fears about safety were totally unfounded and the training is really solid here. It’s obviously not glamorous and it’s not easy, but if you’ve always dreamed of flying for a living and have been working *I don't have the education to emote without using a curse word* retail/food service/ramp jobs until now like me it’s much much better. I’m very happy with my decision.

Glad to hear. As long as you keep a positive attitude, I think you'll keep that same mindset that it's not a bad place. Some days suck, some are tough, but that happens at every job.

 

[Frosted Flyer]

Here's the basic rundown for each company:

TransPac:
- $5,000 signing bonus on first paycheck
- $3,000 relocation assistance on first paycheck
- 3 weeks housing during indoc for $200 ($100 of this is refundable)
- Indoc lasts 3 weeks and you are paid during that time
- $28,000 initial salary which goes up after 9 months (goes up more if you get your CFII which they pay for)
- $7,500 bonus after 1 year of employment
- $11,000 bonus after being hired by SkyWest
- 50 hour work weeks
- Not so great safety record
- Old planes

CAE:
- The job advertisement states there is a $5,000 - $10,000 signing bonus but there are rumors that this is not actually being offered to new hires.
- $2,000 relocation assistance with 3-6 weeks free housing
- $27,000 starting salary, $30k with CFII, $32k with MEI. Goes up to $39-40k once you go to the EASA program
- Free CFII AND free MEI with no contract
- $2,000 bonus after 500 dual given and 25 students signed off
- Free ATP with one year contract
- Average 50 hour work weeks
- No accidents within the last 12 years
- Brand spanking new Piper Archers with G1000s (but also DA20s with no A/C)

I am not employed by either company so I don't have any firsthand experience but this is what I have heard.

So does CAE have a full fleet equipped with g1000's now? Or do they just have one or two and advertise g1000